A New Laura
by oldhollywoodbaby
Summary: Laura Petrie is tired of cleaning the house everyday so she decides to open a face mask business which doesn't turn out the way she expected. This is my third collab with Fiddlegirl!


It was another day at home with Laura cleaning the house.

"Ugh, cleaning is so tiring!" Laura complained to herself as she was sweeping the floor.

"I really wish I was like Rob, having a job. It would be much better than cleaning," Laura thought.

Just as Laura plopped herself on the couch, not even bothering to finish the last spot on the floor, Rob came home.

"Darling!" Laura shouted, running to him and hugging him.

"Oh, hi honey!" Rob exclaimed kissing her on the lips.

"How was work?" she asked.

"It was amazing today! We got our script done on time, which gives us a head start for next week's script," Rob replied.

"That's wonderful! It must be great having a job," Laura said.

"What do you mean?" Rob asked.

"I want to know what it's like to have a job instead of cleaning around the house all day," Laura explained.

"Honey, having a job is work! You have to make all the money you need for the house," Rob told her.

"Oh Rob, can I please try out a job?" Laura begged.

"I guess so, but who's going to watch Ritchie?" Rob asked.

"I'm still going to watch him. He's going to walk to where I'm going to work," Laura told him.

"You're going to give him directions, right?" Rob asked.

"Of course!" Laura exclaimed.

"Well, good," Rob said, going into the kitchen.

The next morning….

"Have you figured out what you're going to do for your job, honey?" Rob asked.

"Yes, I have! I'm going to make clay face masks!" Laura announced.

"Honey, you don't know how to make clay face masks!" Rob chuckled.

"What do you mean, Rob? I know how to make those! I learned one time in beauty class and I remember everything I need to do!" Laura replied.

"Well, okay honey! Good luck with the business," Rob said.

"Thank you, darling!" Laura replied, kissing him on the cheek.

"Anytime, honey! I should get going to work now," Rob told her.

At the office….

"Laura's starting a business?" Buddy asked.

"Yes, she is," Rob replied.

"What's she doing?" Sally asked.

"She's going to make clay masks," Rob told her.

"I think that's really cool, Rob," Sally said as Mel enters the office.

"What's so cool?" Mel asked.

"You with hair," Buddy replied.

"Laura is starting a business on clay masks. Hey, can she advertise them on this week's show?" Rob asked.

"If this were my show, I would be okay with it, but I don't know about Alan. I'll have to ask him," Mel replied.

"While you're at it, maybe find a hair mask, too!" Buddy exclaimed.

"YEUUUUCCCHHH!" Mel replied, glaring at Buddy in annoyance and left the office.

"Rob, is Laura going to do a commercial?" Sally asked.

"We haven't thought about it, but that's if Laura wants to do it," Rob replied.

"She should do it! More people are going to know about it if she puts her business out there," Sally added.

"I can call her right now and see," Rob said, dialing his house number.

Laura was figuring out how to make the mask when the phone was ringing. She picked it up.

 _Phone convo..._

 _Laura: Hello?_

 _Rob: Hi honey! Can I ask you something?_

 _Laura: Yeah, sure._

 _Rob: Have you thought about doing a commercial so you could make your business known?_

 _Laura: Well, that sounds like a fun idea! I will have to discuss that with Millie though. She's doing the business with me, as well. I'm sure she'll like the idea as much as I do._

 _Rob: Also, honey, I asked Mel if you could advertise your mask on this week's show and he's asking Alan because it's his decision._

 _Laura: That's awesome, Rob! I can't wait to tell Millie! I'll see you later, darling!_

Laura hung up the phone.

At the house…

Rob is already home and in the kitchen reading a newspaper he didn't get time to read and Laura was still making the masks. Rob noticed a delicious smell and he wanted to ask Laura what the smell was.

"It smells really good in here, honey! What's for dinner?" Rob asked.

"Oh, that's our mask scent! You thought we're having mangos for dinner?" Laura asked in response.

"Very funny! Speaking of the subject, what is for dinner?" Rob asked.

"I didn't have time to make dinner. We're just going to eat out with Millie and Jerry if that's okay with you," Laura told him.

"That's fine by me!" Rob replied.

At an Italian restaurant….

"So, we found this empty building nearby and I think we're going to take it," Millie said. She was talking about some building her and Laura found earlier while their husbands were working.

"That's great! It will also be easier for the kids too, so they can walk from school to the building after school," Rob added.

"Rob, I'm so excited that we get to advertise our masks to the world! You don't know how exciting this is for me!" Millie exclaimed.

"So Rob, can we use any models so they can model our masks?" Laura asked.

"Why are you asking me? This is your commercial!" Rob replied.

"The question is, who are you going to use?" Jerry asked.

"Oh, I didn't think of this," Millie said.

"Rob, do you think Sally would be up for it?" Laura asked Rob.

"I would have to ask her, honey! Maybe we can ask her when we get back to the house," Rob told her.

Sally was at the Petrie's babysitting Ritchie because she had nothing to do, despite being single.

Just then, Laura received the dessert menu.

"Anybody want to look at this menu?" Laura asked, waving the menu around.

"I don't think I want any dessert, honey. I'll just have some coffee," Rob told her.

"Me too! I'm pretty stuffed from what I just ate," Millie added.

"I'll just have coffee," Jerry said.

At the house…

The Petries and the Helpers got back from dinner and the Helpers decided to stay at the Petries for a little bit to chit chat.

"Hey, Sal, how's Ritchie?" Rob asked.

Yes, Sally was still at the house, watching TV.

"Oh, hey Rob, he's behaving!" Sally replied.

Just then, Ritchie came to the living room.

"Daddy! Mommy! I didn't think you'd come home so early!" Ritchie exclaimed.

All the adults began to laugh.

"What do you mean? It's almost 11! Why aren't you in bed?" Rob asked.

"He had a hard time sleeping so I told him a few bedtime stories and gave him a few horsey rides," Sally explained.

"Well, this is the latest our son has ever stayed up," Laura said.

"We almost forgot, Sally! We have to ask you something!" Millie exclaimed.

"What's there to ask me?" Sally asked.

"Millie and I are filming a commercial for our business and we were wondering if you'd like to be a part of it," Laura told her.

"Am I going to write it?" Sally asked.

"No, you're going to be in it as a model," Laura replied.

"That's really nice! I'd love to!" Sally exclaimed.

"Thank you so much, Sally! Now, we're shooting this commercial here tomorrow at six in the evening, so be there!" Millie told her.

The next evening…

Laura, Millie, Rob, Sally, Buddy, and Jerry were all in the Petrie living room filming the commercial.

Laura and Millie were going to advertise the mask, Sally was going to model the mask, Rob was the director, Jerry was the producer and the one filming while Buddy had control of the script, even though Sally was the one who typed down everything on the typewriter, and he was also the assistant director. Buddy was supposed to be filming, but he broke Sally's expensive camera. Rob thought it was best if Buddy was assistant director so Buddy wouldn't break his camera.

"Places, everyone! Buddy, grab the clapperboard and Jerry, start filming!" Rob exclaimed.

"Mango Mask! Scene one, take one," Buddy said, clapping the board and the girls were now performing on camera.

"Action!" Rob shouted.

 _Laura: Are you tired of dry skin, acne, and all those annoying things that happen to your skin?_

 _Millie: If that's the case, try our Mango Mask! Our Mango Mask is a clay mask that smells like mango._

"Cut!" Rob shouted.

"How was it?" Millie asked.

"Yeah, how was it?" Sally asked.

"There is a change I would like to make," Rob said.

"What, darling? We don't have all night," Laura complained.

"Sal, how about you stay off screen when Laura and Millie say their first lines. Then you come in once they start testing the mask on you," Rob told Sally.

"I have another change! Sally, why you gotta wear that bow? The network will think they're testing the product on a little kid!" Buddy teased.

"Buddy!" Sally yelled.

"Now now, let's get to work! We'll start that again from the top, but this time we won't have Sally in the shot," Rob announced.

Jerry started filming and Buddy used the clapperboard.

"Mango Mask! Scene one, take two," Buddy said.

"Action!" Rob shouted.

 _Laura: Are you tired of dry skin, acne, and all those annoying things that happen to your skin?_

 _Millie: If that's the case, try our Mango Mask! Our Mango Mask is a clay mask that smells like mango._

"Jerry, stop the camera," Rob ordered.

"That was very good, ladies! Now, we will change locations to the kitchen," Rob told them.

In the kitchen….

"Now, in this scene, you girls are setting up the mask! Is that right?" Rob asked.

"Yes, Rob," Laura replied.

"Now, Sally will be in this shot! So Sal, you'll sit right here," Rob ordered her to sit on one of the kitchen chairs and Sally obeyed.

"Laura, stand next to her on your right," Buddy ordered.

"Wait, what about me?" Millie asked.

"You're not going to be in this shot, but you'll be the one showing people what you do with the mask," Rob explained.

Jerry started filming and Buddy used the clapperboard.

"Mango Mask! Scene two, take one," Buddy said.

"Action!" Rob shouted.

 _Laura: Guess what? Today is your lucky day! You get to try our Mango Mask-_

"Honey, you're supposed to look at Sally like you're having a conversation with her. Jerry, start the camera again," Rob said.

"Mango Mask! Scene two take two! Action!" Buddy shouted.

"Buddy, I'm supposed to say action! Action!" Rob exclaimed.

 _Laura: Guess what? Today is your lucky day! You get to try our Mango Mask!_

 _Sally: Will it clear my skin?_

 _Laura: It sure will!_

 _Sally: Oh boy! I can't wait to try this Mango Mask!_

"Cut!" Rob shouted.

"What's the matter now?" Millie asked.

"Sally, when you ask Laura about the mask clearing your skin, act a little more excited," Rob told Sally.

Jerry started the camera, Buddy used the clapperboard and Rob shouted action.

 _Laura: Guess what? Today is your lucky day! You get to try our Mango Mask!_

 _Sally: Will it clear my skin?_

 _Laura: It sure will!_

 _Sally: Oh boy! I can't wait to try this Mango Mask!_

The scene was done and Jerry turned the camera to Millie.

"Now Millie, you are going to show the viewers how the masks works, right?" Rob asked.

Millie nodded in response.

"Mango Mask! Scene three, take one," Buddy said, using the clapperboard.

"Action!" Rob shouted.

Millie was showing the camera what to do with the mask before applying it on the face and she did it perfectly, she didn't need to do any retakes.

"Now, this is the part where you two test the product on Sally," Rob told the girls.

"Rob, we know! We read the script," Laura replied.

"Well, I know! I'm just checking to make sure I'm getting everything right," Rob said.

"You are, darling," Laura told him.

(Time skip)

 _Laura: And call us if you have any complaints!_

 _Laura and Millie: Mango Masks can make a change!_

"Cut!" Rob exclaimed.

"How did we do?" Millie asked.

"That was amazing! I don't think we need to redo this scene!" Rob replied.

"Okay! Now let's celebrate!" Sally exclaimed.

"Good idea, Sally! We should go have dinner!" Buddy suggested.

"I'm down as long as you pay for everything, Buddy," Sally replied.

"What? Why?" Buddy asked.

"You still haven't paid for breaking my camera," Sally told him.

"So I have to pay for everybody's dinner all because I broke your camera a couple weeks ago? I thought you got over that!" Buddy exclaimed.

"Buddy, that is an expensive camera," Sally said.

"Well, I have an idea! How about if everybody else pays for their own meals while Buddy, you could just pay for Sally's!" Rob suggested.

"That's better than paying for everybody's meals and better than paying for an expensive camera. Hey Sal, order something cheap," Buddy replied.

"Now, why would I do that?" Sally asked.

"Because I'm broke," Buddy replied.

(At dinner)

"This place is amazing, Rob!" Laura exclaimed, going for another bite of her steak.

"I know! They have the best lasagna!" Sally added.

"No, they don't! It's expensive!" Buddy exclaimed.

"Buddy, it's only fifteen dollars!" Sally told him.

Buddy rolled his eyes.

After dinner….

"That was so delicious!" Jerry cried.

"I feel like I've gained ten pounds!" Millie added.

"I thought that happened a long time ago!" Jerry teased and Millie glared at him in response.

"Hey Laura, can I have a container of that mask? I have a date on Friday and I need to clear up my skin," Sally requested.

"Sure!" Laura replied, handing a container she had in her purse.

"How much?" Sally asked.

"Free! You were the model for the mask," Laura told her.

Sally thanked her.

That Thursday night at the house….

"Can you believe it, Rob? It's been two days and the business is doing well!" Laura shouted with excitement.

"That's great, honey! I hope this continues," Rob said.

Just then, the phone rang.

"Who could that be so late at night?" Laura asked.

"I don't know," Rob replied, picking up the phone.

Phone convo….

 _Rob: Hello?_

 _Sally: Hey Rob, is Laura home? I need to talk to her!_

 _Rob: Yes! In fact, she's right here!_

Rob put Laura on the phone.

 _Laura: Hello? Oh, hello, Sally!_

 _Sally: Hey there, Laura! I really need to talk to you!_

 _Laura: Okay, I'm all ears!_

 _Sally: I'm using your mask and I left it on for the amount of time I'm supposed to. I'm trying to take it off, but nothing's coming off._

 _Laura: Well, I really don't know what to say. I have an idea! Sleep with it overnight and then try it again in the morning!_

 _Sally: Ok, thank you, Laura!_

Laura ended the call.

"What did she need to talk to you about?" Rob asked.

"She put on the mask and she can't take it off," Laura told him.

"Do you think you maybe messed up the formula of the mask?" Rob asked.

"No, I doubt I messed it up! I checked twice before putting in the ingredients," Laura denied.

"Well honey, you could've messed something up!" Rob exclaimed.

"No, I don't think so," Laura replied, going into the bedroom.

The next morning in the office…..

"The thing is, she doesn't think she messed up the formula of the mask and I'm sure she did if Sally's struggling to take it off," Rob told Buddy.

"Maybe it's the way her skin is reacting to the mask, not what Laura put or left out in the mask," Buddy replied.

"No, I don't think so, Buddy," Rob said.

Just then Sally came in the office with the mask still on her face.

"Hello gang!" Sally exclaimed.

Rob and Buddy looked at the mask that's still on her face.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Bride of Frankenstein!" Buddy shouted as he burst into laughter.

"Did you decide to marry Frankenstein?" Rob asked and started cracking up along with Buddy.

Sally was offended.

"Very funny, fellas!" Sally replied, setting her purse on the desk. "Rob, I did everything Laura told me to do! Nothing worked!" she added.

"Ahem, I'm sorry to hear that, Sal," Rob apologized, trying not to laugh so hard.

"Yeah Sal, I'm sorry, too," Buddy chuckled.

Rob and Buddy couldn't control their laughter and they burst out laughing again, which Sally was unhappy with that response.

"Okay! Go ahead and laugh if you think it's funny that a mask is glued to my face!" Sally yelled angrily.

"Come on, Sal! We won't laugh anymore!" Rob told her.

"Thank you! I'm freaking out because I have a date tonight and he's going to see this on my face! Can you guys help me rip this off?" Sally requested.

Buddy and Rob agreed to help Sally remove the mask since water wasn't doing any good.

At the business….

"Last night, I got a complaint from Sally about the mask! It's not coming off of her," Millie said.

"I got the same call, too!" Laura replied.

"What do you think happened?" Millie asked.

"Nothing! I think it's just Sally's skin reaction," Laura answered.

"Sally's skin reaction? No, I think we messed something up," Millie added.

"Millie, we did not mess up the mask formula! I took beauty class and I memorized the formula on how to make the powder for the clay mask!" Laura exclaimed.

"You can think all you want, Laura. However, I think you messed up on something," Millie said.

"Well, Millie, you can think all you want! However, I don't think I messed up the formula!" Laura replied.

"Just so you know, Laura, you're not perfect," Millie told her.

"I know I'm not a perfectionist!" Laura exclaimed.

"Well, you certainly act like one," Millie added.

Laura was offended that her best friend was calling her a perfectionist.

"How dare you call me that? I-," Laura was cut off by the phone.

" I'll get it," Millie said, answering the call. "Hello? Oh, okay. Yeah, just meet us down here so we can talk. Okay, bye." Millie hung up the phone.

"What was all that about?" Laura asked.

"Turns out, Sally isn't the only one with the mask glued to her face," Millie told you.

"So, it wasn't just a skin reaction?" Laura asked.

"No, I'm trying to tell you that we messed up the formula!" Millie shouted.

Laura picked up a container of the mask and took a look at it. She then came to realization that she messed up the formula.

"Millie, I think you're right! I messed up the formula!" Laura exclaimed.

"I told you so!" Millie replied.

"Ugh, I hate when I'm wrong!" Laura yelled.

"And you say you're not a perfectionist!" Millie added.

At the office…

Rob and Buddy were trying to help Sally get the mask off.

"Geez, Laura did ruin the formula," Rob said, trying to get the mask off of Sally's nose.

"I know, but try not to get the mask in my eye!" Sally replied.

"Guys, I think we need to take a break. We need to start on the script! Maybe once it's lunch break, we can get back to getting the mask off again," Rob told his co workers.

"Why? I have a date tonight and I need to get this mask off!" Sally complained.

"Sal, we're on a deadline! We need to get the script in by the end of the day," Rob replied.

Sally rolled her eyes as she got out the typewriter.

"Got any ideas?" she asked.

"Well, Alan says, 'Good night, folks, and remember to stay safe on the road because traffic is crazy at the moment,' and that's where we can end," Rob suggested.

"Rob, I think we used that line too many times," Sally told him.

"I don't think so," Rob replied.

Sally shrugged.

"Whatever you say, chief," she added, typing down the closing monologue.

Just then, Mel came in the office.

"Hey, look at that! It's Mr. Clean with glasses!" Buddy teased and Mel glared at him in response.

"Rob, is the script ready?" he asked.

"We just finished it, Mel. I thought he wanted it at 4:30," Rob replied.

"At 4:30, Alan has a meeting so he would like to see the script now," Mel told him.

"Oh," Rob said, handing the script to Mel.

"While you're at it, , uh, never mind! I forgot my insult," Buddy said.

Mel sighed in relief and he was about to leave the office. What made him stop was when he noticed that Sally had the mask on her face.

"Sally, what's that on your face?" Mel asked.

"It's a long story," Sally replied.

Mel nodded in response and left the office.

"Now that we're done with the script, can we try to get the mask off again?" Sally asked.

Rob and Buddy nodded and got back to taking off the mask.

At the business with Laura and Millie…..

"This is the thirtieth complaint we've gotten today!" Millie exclaimed.

"I know, and we've been at each other's throats all day!" Laura added.

"I think if we continued this business, this could hurt our friendship and we'll both end up as enemies," Millie said.

"Me too, I'm sorry for everything I said, Millie," Laura apologized while sobbing.

"Aww, Laura, I'm sorry, too! Don't cry!," Millie replied, hugging her best friend, also sobbing.

After a while of hugging, the two friends let go.

"Wait, what are we going to do with that commercial if we shut down the business?" Millie asked.

"I mean, we can call the network and ask them not to show the commercial anymore. I also want to keep it as a memory for when we get old and we can look back and say 'Remember when we tried to run a business, but it was a disaster,' and we can laugh about it," Laura replied.

Hearing this made Millie smile.

"So, we're for sure shutting it down?" she asked.

Laura nodded in response, "We are."

They shook hands.

At the office…..

It was nearly the end of the day and the mask still hasn't come off, except a few crumbs from the mask.

"Did all of it come off?" Sally asked.

"Unfortunately, Sal, not all of it," Rob replied and Sally started freaking out.

"My date is in an hour and I can't let him see me like this!" she cried.

"Oh Sal, we'll get it off in an hour," Buddy said, calmly eating a banana. Rob turned to him annoyed.

"Buddy, you're no help! All you've been doing is eating that stupid banana! Drop it and help out a friend!" Rob ordered.

"Okay okay! Geez, I'm just hungry!" Buddy replied, putting the banana down on the coffee table.

"It's even worse that he's coming here to pick me up," Sally added.

"You're right, Sal! That's worse," Buddy replied, getting a mask crumb off of Sally's face.

The boys continued to do what they were doing.

At the house….

Rob came home to see Laura finishing a phone call. He went up to her and kissed her on the neck.

"Oh, hello darling!" Laura said.

"Hi honey!" Rob replied.

"How was work?" Laura asked.

"We got the script done and we got a head start on next week's script!" Rob told her.

"Yay!" Laura replied.

"However, we spent most of the time today taking that mask off of Sally's face," Rob continued.

"Did you get everything off?" Laura asked.

"Well, most of it. She still has it on her jawline, but she said she could cover that up," Rob told her.

Laura nodded.

"I could ask you the same thing!" he added.

"I have some news!" Laura exclaimed.

"Good or bad?" Rob asked.

"To me, it's good news! Millie and I are shutting down the business," Laura announced.

Rob was shocked to hear the news.

"What! Why? Was it because of what I said about a job not being very easy to have?" Rob asked.

"No, not really. Today, Millie and I were fighting and we thought that we could end up as enemies if we continued this business. Also, we got over thirty complaints about the mask and we just realized we messed up the formula of the mask powder," Laura explained.

"Well, what are you going to do with that commercial that we worked really hard on?" Rob asked.

"Millie and I decided to ask the network to not show it anymore and we'll keep the commercial to ourselves," Laura replied.

Just then, the phone rang and Laura picked it up.

"Hello? Oh sorry, we're closed," Laura said and hung up.

"Who was that?" Rob asked.

"Another customer! She wanted to order a mask," Laura told him.

"Did you like having a job?" Rob asked her.

"Not this one, but maybe I'll go for something else in the future," Laura replied.

 **-So this is my third collab with Fiddlegirl! It was so much fun working with her on this story! This is going to go on Wattpad soon so stay tuned! if you don't follow my Wattpad, follow it! DCPODDLEXX is my username! Thanks for sticking around and stay tuned for upcoming stories and chapters for other stories!**  
 **-DCPOODLEXX**


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